


Return to Nowhere

by DebbieF



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Gen, Spoiler for the upcoming episode The Return
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-11 05:00:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3315023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DebbieF/pseuds/DebbieF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one has seen this episode yet. In the UK because of rugby they won't see it either. So knowing next to  nothing but spoilers and video teasers I've read or seen, this will be my own spin on it. I know there are a lot of guest stars but I am focusing solely on Renard, Athos & d'Art in my story. Perhaps if I see some brotherly scenes in the show I may do another.<br/>So this does contain SPOILERS to a certain degree. If you don't want to read it before the show then do hold off.<br/>I have been finding out though when I watch youtube videos of the show that they show the whole thing. When we get it in the states there are a lot of deleted scenes. Point in case... Emilie - the bar scene between d'Art & Athos was left out and that was totally a great scene, short as it was. Oh well I guess that's what DVDs are for (grins).</p><p>++++</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return to Nowhere

*Baron Renard’s estate*

Baron Renard gazed down at the disheveled man who had everything he wanted. His men had dragged an unconscious Athos into his home a few hours ago. Renard was getting tired of waiting for him to wake up. He signaled for one of his men to come over. “Go fetch a bucket of water.”

Minutes later when the man came back, Renard took the bucket from him and with a mighty throw emptied it all over Athos’s bare head.

Shooting up from his prone position, Athos blinked through the water dripping down his face. Then he looked around the unfamiliar surroundings in confusion. Hanging his head down once more, the ache in his skull felt like he had spent the prior evening on a bender with no memories if he had enjoyed it or not. When a pair of boots filled his line of vision, Athos allowed his gaze to drift upward taking in the stranger staring at him with cold eyes. He did not recognize this individual but assumed he was involved in his headache from hell. “Who are you and what did you do to me?” 

“I am Baron Renard and as for what I had done to you,” he chuckled. “It was a simple matter of drugging your wine.”

“For what purpose?”

“Let’s take a walk outside, shall we?” Renard suggested. “Then I’ll explain more thoroughly your purpose for being my guest.”

“Guest?” Athos scoffed, swiping at the water still driveling down his face. “This is how you treat guests?”

A bark of laughter escaped Renard. “You should see how I treat my enemies.”

Unsteady, the drugs still coursing through his system, Athos managed to follow the baron without stumbling over his own feet. The glare of the sunlight nearly blinded him as he held up a hand to shield his eyes. Athos still did not recognize anything. Feeling a hard nudge to his back, Athos saw his captor pointing to two horses.

“Mount up,” Renard ordered. “We have places to be.”

Athos took the reins of the horse given him and struggled to get on without unseating himself. He would feel much better once the effect of the drugs had worn off, he hoped.

Training a gun on the unarmed soldier, Renard’s eyes narrowed. “Do not think on escaping,” he smirked. “I am quite a good shot.”

“I have no need to test your skills. I will give you no trouble,” Athos worked the kinks out of his neck and then grimly smiled at Renard, “at least until I am feeling more like myself.”

As they rode on, Athos finally started to recognize certain things. The people they passed though seemed wary, frightened even of the baron. It felt to Athos as if these villagers did not want to gaze upon Renard's face, as they turned their heads away from the baron. He could see it in their expressions. Suddenly Athos was startled out of his thoughts as he recalled some familiar faces. “Mon dieu! You’ve brought me back!” Athos twisted around in his saddle to stare at Renard in disbelief. “Why? For what reason would you do this?”

“I cannot believe someone of your nobility would reject his heritage in the way such as you have,” Renard spat, as if those words left a foul taste in his mouth.

“What concern is it of yours that I abandoned la Fere?”

“I want it!” Renard stated emphatically. “I want all of it!”

“Of what to be precise,” Athos laughed harshly. “La Fere burned to the ground.” He was starting to think the man's mind was unhinged. Which it apparently was or Renard would never have taken Athos from Paris the way he had.

“The land didn’t,” Renard retorted angrily.

“So you kidnap me in the hopes of…,” Athos shook his head wearily, “I’m sorry,” he added insincerely, “of what exactly?”

“Turning over your entire estate to me of course.” Renard stopped his horse when they arrived at the la Fere grounds. “All this and you became a soldier for the king,” he scoffed. “You’re a fool!”

“I beg to differ,” Athos countered. “But I am curious,” he titled his head slightly at an angle. “Do you honestly expect me to just sign everything over to you?”

Grinning like he held all the cards, Renard signaled for Athos to turn his horse back around. “I’ve brought insurance along to change your mind.”

++++

*Back to Baron Renard’s estate once more... and the insurance*

Getting off his horse first, Renard kept a watchful eye on Athos to make sure he didn’t try any funny business. “A little trip to my stable and I’ll introduce you to my insurance policy,” he snickered.

Prodding Athos ahead of him with a pistol to the man’s back, Renard waited for his men to open the stable doors. Then his man, Phillipe went in ahead of them, all the while Renard kept his gun trained on Athos as he waited for the other man's reaction to his little surprise package.

Throwing a limp body on the ground at Athos’s feet, Phillipe then walked past the unconscious figure to stand by Renard’s side. Handing the gun over to his man Renard made sure Athos was covered while he walked over to his other captive.

Grabbing the man’s head by its long, brown hair, Renard lifted it up so Athos got a good look.

“D’ARTAGNAN!” Athos gasped and lurched forward frantically only to be stopped by the gun poking him in the ribs. Snarling, Athos wanted nothing more than to snap Renard’s neck with his bare hands. To his eyes it appeared the youngster had a rough go of it. Athos could see deep bruising and various cuts mixed in with dirt marring the boy’s face. Stabbing Renard with murder in his eyes, Athos growled. “Why take him?”

“Because of the reaction you just now afforded me,” Renard chuckled, crossing his arms. “My men had been watching you and reported back to me. The information I received told me of the closeness between the two of you,” Renard cocked his head. “I took advantage of that fact. A replacement for Thomas perhaps?”

Glowering at the man, Athos voice was bitter. “Keep my brother’s name out of this.”

Letting go of d’Artagnan’s hair, Renard let the silky strands slip through his fingers, making the boy fall back to the ground with a noisy thump. Crooking his finger at Athos to come closer, Renard let the other man cradle the youngster in his arms. “I’ll leave you alone with the boy for a time.” Pointing to his men, Renard smiled wickedly. “They’ll be outside in case you get any bright ideas.”

Ignoring Renard, Athos concentrated on d'Artagnan. Patting the boy's face gently, Athos tried to wake him up. Dipping his hand in a bucket of water, Athos wiped the dirt off the lad's face. "You must have put up a hell of a fight judging by the condition you're in," he whispered to the unconscious youth.

Finally, d'Artagnan moaned, stirring in Athos's grip. His eyes fluttered open and he found himself staring into the set features of his mentor. "Ath... Athos," d'Artagnan tried to keep his heavy eyes open. "We couldn't find you," he clutched tightly at Athos's shirt while his friend tried to prop him up against the wall. "Porthos, Aramis and I searched but you were nowhere to be found."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings," Athos worried gaze took in a gash on the back of d'Artagnan's head that was bleeding freely, "but our friends aren't going to find you now either."

"What's going on?" d'Artagnan put a hand to his head as his dizziness grew. "Mon dieu! I do not feel at all well."

"Your head wound needs treatment and I'm no Aramis." Athos was going to demand Renard see to d'Artagnan's injury immediately. Hearing the pup snort softly, he tipped the youngster's face up. Tapping the child’s nose, Athos looked at d’Artagnan fondly. “What was that snort in aid of? Might I ask?”

"When you said that bit about not being Aramis," d'Artagnan grinned, "you got that part right."

Leaning down, Athos dropped a light kiss on top of the whelp’s head. "Brat."

"Yeah, but I’m your *brat*," d'Artagnan stated. “Ummmm,” he licked his dry lips, "what's the plan?"

"Plan?" Athos arched both eyebrows high.

"Oui... *the plan*," d'Artagnan's face fell when he saw the blank reaction Athos gave him, which meant that his mentor didn't have one. "We could always improvise," d’Artagnan suggested, with all the confidence of youth, only to see Athos shake his head sadly.

"Baron Renard kidnapped me to bring me back home," Athos explained inadequately, if the look d’Artagnan sent him was anything to go by.

"We're not at le Fere now," d'Artagnan was confused. "It burned to cinders."

"Non. For now we're guests of the baron on his estate," Athos carded his fingers carefully through d'Artagnan's hair, feeling the nice sized lump on the back of the boy's head. "But we are back in Pinon where the le Fere grounds are located.

"Why?" d'Artagnan winced as Athos touched the sore area.

"He wants my lands." Athos still worried over the pup's injury and got d'Artagnan back on his feet. "Let's get you out of here and into Renard's home where I can tend your wound."

As the two men tried to leave the barn, pistols automatically trained on them.

"D'Artagnan's hurt," Athos announced curtly. "I need to take care of his injury."

Waving his men aside, Renard strode over. "Get the boy inside before he bleeds to death."

"Didn't know it was that bad," d'Artagnan glanced at Athos who up to now was keeping him upright.

"You are losing quite a bit of blood," Athos confirmed.

"Which would explain why I'm going to pass out now," d'Artagnan's eyes rolled up in the back of his head before collapsing at Athos's feet.

Biting back a curse, Athos bent and lifted d'Artagnan up in his arms as he followed the baron back inside the main house. Once in, Renard led him to an empty room where Athos gently deposited his charge on the bed.

"I'll send up clean water and bandages for you," Renard nodded at Athos on his way out.

He remembered Aramis telling him that scalp wounds always tended to bleed quite a bit and to not be overly concerned about the amount of bloodloss. Still with d'Artagnan injured, Athos’s concern grew. How was he to get them both out of here alive?

When one of Renard's men brought him the supplies he needed, Athos set about to stop the bleeding with the clean rags given him. Then he proceeded to bandage the injury. "It would be nice if Aramis and Porthos could find us, but I guess that would be asking too much."

Feeling d'Artagnan stir under his ministrations, Athos placed his hand on the younger man's chest, holding him in place. "I'd feel better if you were in fighting shape, but we can't get everything we want," Athos whispered.

Opening his eyes slowly, d'Artagnan turned his head and was happy to see Athos still there. "You patching me up?"

"The best I could," Athos offered the younger man a slim smile. "Think you could sit up for me?"

It was a struggle, but d'Artagnan's stubborn determination came through. Sitting up on his own, he heard Athos’s deep sigh. "Formulate a plan yet?"

"We're going to make a run for it at the first opportunity," Athos stated flatly.

Chewing his bottom lip, d'Artagnan didn't know if he should say anything but what's the worst Athos could say? "As plans go that one's pretty weak."

"Oui," Athos shrugged. "But with you not up to snuff it's the best I've got."

"Leave me behind," d'Artagnan insisted. "You can come back for me later."

"Out... of... the... question," Athos's voice hardened. "Renard would kill you without compunction were he to discover I had escaped."

"I'll only slow you down," d'Artagnan was a Gascon down to his toes, his stubborness was in full swing.

"If I believed that I would never had suggested this," Athos scowled as he observed the play of emotions running across d'Artagnan's young face.

"You do know Aramis and Porthos will never forgive us if we get ourselves killed," d'Artagnan pointed out, hoping that would sway his friend.

Winking at d’Artagnan, Athos grinned. "Then we best not get ourselves killed.”

However, before Athos and d'Artagnan could pull off their daring escape, they both heard sounds of gunfire and the clash of steel on steel. When they went to the window, the sight that met their eyes came as a complete surprise.

"Guess we won't have to concern ourselves with getting out of here now," d'Artagnan slapped Athos on the back.

"It would seem that Porthos and Aramis are leading the citizens of Pinon in an uprising," Athos looked on in astonishment. Then placing his arm around d'Artagnan's waist, helped the younger man outside.

++++

Grabbing a pistol off one of the dead men that had been in Renard's employ, Athos made sure d'Artagnan was well out of the line of fire, much to the lad's dismay.

"Stay put while I take care of business,” Athos ordered roughly.

Blowing a piece of hair out of his face, d'Artagnan pouted but didn't put up a fuss. If truth were told, he was still suffering bouts of lightheadedness he didn't want to admit too. Knowing how Athos felt about leaving him behind, he may have stuck by d’Artagnan’s side and he didn’t want that. But it was hard for him to be sidelined like this. Reduced to being a bystander.

Striding across the grounds, Athos acknowledged Aramis and Porthos with a salute and then went to find Renard. When he did locate the man, Athos called out. "Do you see your fine plans going up in smoke, Renard? Look around you! The fine people of Pinon have spoken!" Cocking his pistol, Athos lips curled as he glared at his adversary who was armed himself. He would only shoot the baron if absolutely necessary. "Give me a reason."

With the growing chaos surrounding him, Baron Renard still wasn’t about to let Athos arrest him. But when he fired his pistol at Athos there were three sets of gunshots ringing in the air. The ones exchanged between himself and Athos and the other that saved Athos's life.

Watching the life drain out of Renard's eyes, Athos didn't realize that his own had been in jeopardy from an entirely different direction. Seeing d'Artagnan listing to one side as the lad slowly approached, Athos was afraid his young friend would keel over any second. The smoking pistol the boy gripped in his hand showed Athos that d'Artagnan had disobeyed his direct orders. Much to Athos's chagrin.

"I didn't think you noticed Renard's man coming at you from the other side," d'Artagnan said. "Figured I'd take care of him for you."

"My thanks, d'Artagnan," Athos hugged the boy tightly, ruffling d'Artagnan's hair.

"You two didn't think we'd let you have all the fun now did you?" Aramis laughed as he joined them in another hug.

"We turn our backs and you both go an get kidnapped," Porthos announced gruffly, turning the three way hug into four.

Aramis couldn't help but notice d'Artagnan's bandaged head and how pale the boy was. The pup was swaying back and forth so badly that Aramis was afraid he'd land on his face. "What the deuce happened to you?" he clucked like a mother hen. His fingers itched to see the damage done underneath the bandages.

"Banged on the head," d'Artagnan winced as pain lanced through his skull, “among other things.” He tried to make light of it, but the pain he tried to hide spoke volumes to Aramis. “Actually it feels more like Porthos landed a couple of really good hits on me."

Grinning over at the larger man, Aramis indicated if Porthos would do the honors.

Suddenly airborne, d'Artagnan grabbed onto Porthos broad shoulders. "Whoa! The world's spinning!"

"That ain't the world, boyo," Porthos chuckled.

"We can't leave everything like this," Athos remarked as he gazed at the destruction and the people of Pinon that were wounded in the fight.

"After instructing the villagers on how to defend themselves," Aramis announced proudly, "I feel they have everything well in hand."

"Yeah, what he said," Porthos agreed. "I think we need to get the whelp back to the garrison before he swoons like a maiden." He cautiously helped d'Artagnan up on his horse Roulette.

D'Artagnan, leaned forward clinging to Roulette's neck. He yelped at the derogatory words from Porthos. "I dare you to say that again!"

Walking up to the boy, Athos looked up into d'Artagnan's worn features. Reaching up he took the child's left hand in his own giving it a firm squeeze. "I'll make this up to you."

"Nothing to make up for, Athos," d'Artagnan smiled. "You're my brother... my family." He squeezed Athos's hand in return. "Just next time let Aramis get kidnapped."

The End

++++

I couldn't resist referencing the fact that (including next week's ep. The Return) Aramis will be the only Musky not kidnapped this season. I saw several comments from people talking about that over at Spoilertv.com. Let's hope that doesn't happen.


End file.
